Friend or More?
by Watermelonsmellinfellon
Summary: Harry meets Tom in the orphanage and the two become good friends. The BWL won't be what people expect when his letter comes. Tom influences Harry a great deal and together, the two will change the wizarding world. One problem, what will Harry do when he starts to fall for his best friend? Will Tom be interested? What if the feelings ended up reversing? A/N: Eventual SLASH.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello, people!**

**I don't own Harry Potter.**

**I have no beta.**

**ENJOY!**

Harry Potter was a seven year old boy who was filled with hope. Everyday, he hoped that someone would come and take him away from this place. That he would make his first friend. That he'd be able to stand up for himself and others. That he could stop the bullies that tortured the other children. That there would come someone who would love him unconditionally.

So many things to hope for, but even Harry wasn't placing everything into his hope. He knew what the real world was like and knew not to remain in his fantasies, because they wouldn't help him in any way.

It was November fifth, the sixth year anniversary of his time in the orphanage. He'd been brought there years ago by his aunt, who claimed that she didn't want him because his parents had died and their friends had left him to her when she didn't want anything to do with him. By his sixth birthday, which she had told the matron was July thirty-first, nearly everyone in the orphanage knew that he wasn't wanted even though he had living relatives and they made his life hell with the torture of rubbing it in his face that he was unwanted.

Harry didn't really let it get to him, at least, he tried not to. It hurt sometimes, when he was feeling low. But other times he was fine.

Harry had no friends in the orphanage. The older kids made sure to scare everyone away from him. Harry didn't like them and casually commented that the reason no one wanted to adopt them, was because no one liked brats. That had gotten him beaten black and blue, he limped for days.

Harry was a hard worker. The orphanage had very loose rules and Harry could actually leave whenever he wanted, so long as he was back before the doors were locked in the evening. He didn't go and play at the nearby park like the other children did. No, Harry had interests and pursued them the best he could.

Because he was mistreated by the other children and the teachers who came and taught the students, he had to take his learning into his own hands. So, in the neighborhoods around the orphanage, he made a name for himself as a hard worker. He mowed lawns, trimmed hedges, washed cars, planted gardens, shoveled sidewalks in the winter and did pretty much anything to earn money.

One lady didn't have anything she could give him, but returned his kindness with piano lessons twice a week. She was old and Harry couldn't bring himself to charge her since she was all alone with her cats.

Another person who couldn't pay him, was a young widowed mother whose husband had died in the line of fire. She was a teacher of Latin at the nearest college and took to teaching Harry all she knew in return for his assistance with her and her daughter.

With the money at his disposal, successfully bringing in twenty-five pounds**(A/N: $42.32 U.S. dollars)** a week, Harry purchased the much needed books that he wanted in order to further his personal education. He had books for everything and was confident in his studies.

Occasionally he would get a tip and would splurge on sweets for himself. He was diligent to hide his things in his room which he had booby-trapped to prevent others from entering. Also, he had made friends with a special snake that had slithered into the orphanage's garden and allowed her to stay with him. She lay on his bed, facing the door so that anyone who tried to break in, would see her and flee quickly.

Her name was Nagini and she talked! Though she only talked to Harry because he was scared that if people found out she could speak, they'd take her and put her in a zoo and he'd never see her again.

Nagini was three feet long and had odd spots over her somewhat dark scales. She told him that she was a special breed of snake that was difficult to find and she wanted to stay with him because he was worthy and needed her protection. She was his only friend. Even though she wasn't human, it didn't matter to Harry. Nagini was nicer than most humans he had met.

With her guarding his things, he never had to worry about thievery, even from his enemies. She also had a good sense of humor.

Harry was a very respectful young man and always got the people who weren't in the orphanage to be on his side. Some even offered to adopt him, but he had denied, saying that while life in the orphanage wasn't great, he didn't want to impose. That usually earned him a larger tip than he normally received.

Harry was very good a playing some people against each other. Like for the widowed woman who taught him Latin, he had tied the lawyer of one of her adversaries up in knots when he visited her house while he was there. The man left thinking that his client was in the complete wrong and promised to see him in prison. Harry was given a chocolate cake as thanks. Very delicious.

He found it easy to twist people when he wanted and loved to ruin people with his charisma.

Harry was also very intelligent, excelling past his peers in everything. Well, almost all of his peers. There was one boy who seemed to tie him in everything. He had never spoken to the boy, but knew that they were the same age and both had living family that didn't want them. The sad part, was that it was his father who didn't want him, whereas Harry didn't feel all that bad about his aunt not wanting him.

He was dark, Harry could tell. He hated everyone in the orphanage and never reached out to anyone. He and Harry could be twins with all of their similarities. Black hair and green eyes, though of different shades, still very similar. Harry had bright green while Tom, his unrelated twin, had a deep hunter green that looked black when his eyes were half lidded. Both were the same age and height with pale skin and very red cherry lips. They were also born on the thirty-first, of different months yes, but it was still a coincidence.

They were both smart, tying in their scores and kept to themselves. They both seemed to get on Mrs. Cole's nerves easily.

Tom Riddle peaked Harry's interest and he wanted to befriend that boy who was so much like him. Even though they were only seven, both had vocabularies that rivaled the oldest people around them and understood things easily. They were geniuses and it only made sense that they be friends.

So, on this day of November fifth, Harry saved his green apple from his breakfast. Tom had been bullied and Billy had taken his food and dumped it on the floor. Harry was going to give the other boy it as a conversation starter.

So, when he went outside on that Sunday of the fifth of November, he immediately spotted Tom sitting in the shade of a tree in the orphanage's garden. Harry walked over and stopped in front of the boy, who looked up at him with a questioning gaze.

Harry held out the apple and Tom stared at him for a moment, searching for any form of deception. But Harry didn't feel like it at the moment, for he was truly trying to get the other boy on his side.

A hand intercepted Harry's arm and ripped the apple from his hand.

He turned to see Billy Marshall, annoying bully of the orphanage who terrorized both Harry and Tom often. The pre-teen smirked and took a big bite out of the apple and then threw it at Harry, hitting him squarely in the nose and knocking him over.

Harry hissed as he rolled over onto his stomach and noticed the liquid dripping from his nose. His anger rose and he sat up in order to get a good look at Billy, who was laughing with his friends.

Harry's anger escalated and he felt like strangling the older boy. To see how he liked it when he was in pain as he was denied air and his head exploded in pain from the trapped blood and lack of flow.

Billy suddenly reached out and clutched at his neck, coughing and wheezing. His face turned blue quickly as he sank to his knees, trying to get the air in.

Harry's interest was caught and he looked on in confusion as Billy suddenly keeled backward and stopped moving.

His two friends screamed and one checked his pulse and screamed even louder when he couldn't find it.

Harry quirked a brow. So he had just died, holding his throat because he couldn't breathe. Just as Harry had wanted to punish him.

Harry's eyes went wide. Had he some how done it? He didn't lay a hand on the teen but strange things happened around Harry often. Disappearing food that he didn't want, wanting a certain shirt and finding it on his bed the next morning, meeting a talking snake, exploding windows whenever he was angry. The list went on. But the fact was, that Harry had some how strangled a boy to death without touching him.

Mrs. Cole was alerted to the screaming and came to see what was wrong. When she saw Billy's body she turned on Tom and Harry and accused them of doing it and then went to call the authorities.

Harry and Tom easily played the part of the distressed children who were scared that the big boy wouldn't move. Mrs. Cole was put under a warning when it wasn't proven(seriously there no way someone knew it was Harry since he never touched the boy), because she falsely accused children of killing someone even though they never touched him.

If there was another incident, then she'd be taken to prison and the orphanage would have a new Matron soon.

Harry and Tom were sent off after everything calmed down.

Harry was unprepared for Tom to grab him and haul him into the his room. Harry had no time to take in the interior because Tom had him pinned to the wall immediately, hand on his chest.

"You did it. You can doing strange things as well," Tom said quietly.

Harry stared for a moment, before nodding slowly. "I don't know how, but I am sure that I did it. Somehow," he admitted.

Tom inclined his head, "What were your intentions this morning with the apple?"

"I figured that since we're so similar a friendship would be beneficial to the both of us. We have too much in common and I find that I can tolerate you as opposed to the fools we live with," Harry answered truthfully.

"How would this benefit me?"

"Well, I work every day of the week and make money in order to buy myself books. If you work with me, we could split the earnings and you'd soon acquire a collection much like mine. I also receive Latin lessons and piano lessons from two people who can't afford to pay me. It wouldn't hurt. As for me, I'd prefer to have a comrade who is human."

Tom's brows rose, "What do you mean by, 'who is human'?"

"Exactly that," Harry stated. "My only friend is a snake that I met two years ago and she sleeps in my room."

Tom was quiet as his eyes searched Harry's.

"Can you speak to snakes, Potter?" he finally asked.

Harry's eyes went wide, "I guess you can say that. I just assumed that she could speak English. Can you speak to snakes?"

Tom nodded, "Show me."

Harry was released and he shrugged, turning to open the door and leave the room.

When they reached his room, Tom took in the sight of his book collection with an impressed gaze.

"_**Nagini, come and meet ssssomeone,**_" he said, waiting for the reptile to show herself.

The snake slithered out from under his bed and fixed Tom with a look. "_**Another sssspeaker?**_" she asked.

Harry looked at Tom who was eying the snake, "_**What do you mean 'sssspeaker'?**_"

The snake and Harry shared a glance. Nagini looked at Tom, "_**Not many magical children can sssspeak Parsssseltongue anymore. It issss a relief to have met a ssssecond sssspeaker in my lifetime,**_" she explained.

Both Harry and Tom's mouths dropped. "_**Magic?**_" they chorused.

Nagini nodded, "_**You are wizardssss. The raw power coming off you two issss almosssst sssstifling. That issss why sssstrange thingssss happen when you losssse your temperssss. Your magic issssn't controlled and it'ssss lasssshing out.**_"

Tom ands Harry's gazes locked. Magic. It would explain so much. Definitely how Harry managed to choke a boy to death without touching him.

Tom stepped closer to Nagini, "_**Tell ussss more.**_"

**A/N: So, this is the first chapter. **

**How was it? Let me know if it's good enough to continue.**

_**Check out my other Tom/Harry stories.**_

**See ya! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello, people! Thanks for the favs, follows and reviews!**

**I don't own Harry Potter.**

**I have no beta!**

**ENJOY!**

Harry smiled as he and Tom played catch, the magical way. Using their magic, they levitated the ball and threw it back and forth to each other, trying to perfect their control. It was a challenge and both boys enjoyed it. Why just toss it back and forth? They were wizards and could make any boring game more interesting easily.

After Nagini had told them about magic, she ordered them to meditate for several minutes a day in order to acquaint themselves with their powers. Once they were familiar enough, she told them to unlock it all, which would allow them to wield their magic better. After that, the two made it a point to use magic as often as possible, training each other to become better than before.

The simple friendship that Harry had wanted, went a lot further. The fact that both boys were wizards immediately made them cling to the only other person they knew who could do what they could. Then, the fact that both of them could speak to snakes, which according to Nagini was a rare skill, made them even closer. They confided to each other every secret and wish of their hearts.

The two were a formidable force together and when they got together, amazing things happened. Tom joined Harry in his jobs and as they steadily grew in their magical abilities, their performance in their work became noticeable. Harry was good at making gardens flourish and Tom was particularly good at killing weeds and vermin that lingered where it wasn't wanted. The neighborhoods surrounding the orphanage were happy with their living arrangements and gladly tipped the boys even more than normal.

In four years, Harry's minimum of twenty-five pounds moved up to seventy-five**(A/N: $126.32)**, all because he and Tom managed to master their magic so well. Now, both of them were able to buy the things they wanted and were the most envied boys in the orphanage because they had nice clothes and books and trinkets that interested them. No one dared to steal their things because the snakes, which they had befriended, shared their rooms and guarded their things. They were all jealous, but no one was willing to work for what they wanted. Harry and Tom shrugged their annoyance off, not feeling sorry in the least. If they refused to work, then they didn't deserve nice things.

Next to their magic, the two boys had expanded their personal studies. Both successfully learned Latin, French and Spanish, as well as how to play the piano and violin. They were working on Egyptian and the Piccolo next.

It was July thirty-first, 1991 and Harry had turned eleven. Tom had given him a bag of his favorite sweets and a large old Egyptian tome, similar to the one he had bought the boy for his birthday. The two then went outside and just enjoyed themselves by practicing their magic.

Nagini sat up and hissed, "_**Ssssomeone issss coming!**_"

Both boys froze and Harry caught the ball in his hands. They turned to where their friend was facing and a moment later, a man walked around the corner of the building. Harry barely held himself back from shielding his eyes. No one had business wearing bright fuchsia with orange paisley patterns together! No one!

He stopped a few feet away from them and smiled. He was old, with a long beard. Harry wondered if the man was attempting to mimic Saint Nicholas. He wasn't pulling it off very well.

"Hello there."

Tom and Harry stepped toward each other, making sure that they were close. They didn't know this man and weren't going to take any chances.

"Hi," they chorused. Nagini slithered in front of them and raised herself up to almost her full height of six feet.

The man's eyes went wide, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he reached into his pocket, making both boys tense.

He then pulled out two envelopes. "These are for you. One for each."

Harry and Tom looked at each other and Nagini slithered forward, snatching the letters from the man and slithering back to the boys.

Harry accepted his as did Tom. Both shrugged and opened them.

Harry's eyes widened as he read.

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL **_**of **_**WITCHCRAFT **_**and **_**WIZARDRY**

**Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore**

**(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)**

**Dear Mr Potter, **

**We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.**

**Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl no later than 31 July.**

**Yours sincerely, **

**Minerva McGonagall**

**Deputy Headmistress**

The second page was a long list.

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL **_**of **_**WITCHCRAFT **_**and **_**WIZARDRY**

**UNIFORM**

**First-year students will require:**

**1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black)**

**2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear**

**3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)**

**4\. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)**

**Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.**

**COURSE BOOKS**

**All students should have a copy of each of the following:**

_**The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)**_

**by Miranda Goshawk**

**A History of Magic**

_**by Bathilda Bagshot**_

**Magical Theory**

_**by Adalbert Waffling**_

**A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration **

_**by Emeric Switch**_

**One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi**

_**by Phyllida Spore**_

**Magical Drafts and Potions**

_**by Arsenius Jigger**_

**Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them**

_**by Newt Scamander**_

**The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection**

_**by Quentin Trimble**_

**OTHER EQUIPMENT**

**1 wand**

**1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)**

**1 set glass or crystal phials**

**1 telescope**

**1 set brass scales**

**Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.**

**PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS**

**ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK**

**Yours sincerely,**

**Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus**

**Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions**

Harry and Tom looked at each other and held their gaze for a moment, before looking at the man skeptically.

"Are you mad?" Tom asked scathingly, trying to come across as disbelieving.

The man smiled, "No young man I am not. I'm here to offer you both a place at Hogwarts. It's a special place for children that can do, things. Things that people don't normally consider normal."

Harry's eyes narrowed, "What makes you think we are like these 'people'?"

The man's smile widened, "Simply put, you both have magic and a lot of it. You were using it before I turned the corner. There are hundreds like you that attend Hogwarts, and there, you will learn all about the magical world and it's history. How to strengthen your magic and further your magical knowledge."

Harry and Tom gasped slightly as the grass surrounding them caught fire, leaving them in a ring. Both glared at the flames and immediately, they disappeared as it began to rain, hard.

Through this, the man wasn't affected, his entire form was dry. It was like the water was bouncing off an invisible bubble. The rain stopped and Harry and Tom sighed in annoyance. Now they were soaked.

"See, you two know about your magic. Very well too. I wonder how you found out."

Harry looked at Nagini, "She told us." Nagini nodded.

The old man's eyes went wide again, "You can understand her? You speak to snakes? Both of you?"

They nodded.

"Well then, interesting. On to other matters. Are you interested in coming to Hogwarts? You'll be there for ten months a year for the next seven years."

Their eyes bugged. Ten minutes away from this hell hole. They turned away slightly to confer. After a few moments, they turned back and nodded.

"Excellent! I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts. Now, I can take you to Diagon Alley, or I can give you the directions and you can go by yourselves. Which would you prefer?'

"Just us," Tom said quickly.

Dumbledore nodded, "Understandable. This paper has the directions on it. The first pace you will go, is Gringotts, it's the wizard bank for the wizarding world. It's a large white building that looks slightly crooked." He rummaged around in his pocket and pulled out a golden key. "This is yours, Harry. It's to your school/trust fund left behind by your parents. Hand this to the Head Goblin and he will take you to your vault."

"You knew my parents?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore nodded, "They were wonderful people, Harry."

Tom's eyes narrowed and Dumbledore sighed, "I'm sorry to say that I don't know your family, Tom. I have a guess, but I can't be sure. I suggest that when you two go to Gringotts, you request a Heritage test before seeing the vault for Hogwarts students. Both of you. If my hunch is correct, you both have more than one vault in Gringotts and they will help you out quite a bit."

Dumbledore smiled and handed Harry the key. "I must take my leave for now gentlemen, but I will see you soon. These are your tickets for the Hogwarts Express. Be at Kings Cross Station before ten in the morning on September first."

Dumbledore handed Tom three pieces of paper, two tickets and one map. With a bow, Dumbledore turned at left them standing there.

Harry and Tom waited in the silence for a moment, before looking at the paper. The Leaky Cauldron in London.

"Should we go tomorrow?" Harry asked.

Tom nodded and studied the tickets. "I never knew platforms came in quarters," he mumbled.

Harry glanced over his shoulder,"Well, it _is_ magical. Maybe they only exist in the magical world."

Tom nodded in understanding.

* * *

The next day, the boys took a cab to London. Tom didn't like buses and Harry could understand, seeing as the people who usually rode them were disgusting. The Leaky Cauldron was a pub and a motel and a bunch of other things wrapped into one.

They approached the bar where their instructions said to ask the bartender, who was also named Tom, how to get into the alley.

The man smiled at them, "What can I do for you young lads?"

Harry smiled charmingly, using his charisma to win the man over. "We were told to ask you for help in getting to Diagon Alley," he said in somewhat shy voice.

The bartender looked at him closely and then Harry's saw his eyes land on his exposed forehead, where his odd shaped scar lay. The man's eyes went wide and he backed up a bit. "Merlin's beard! You're Harry Potter!"

Harry and Tom tested in shock. Why did the man know who Harry was?

"Of course I'll help you Mr. Potter, follow me!" the man gushed.

The two traipsed after the man, keeping a good distance between them and him. They were worried and wanted to be ready for anything.

Tom led them out back, to a large brick wall. He pulled a long stick from his pocket and tapped and few bricks in a certain order. Both Harry and Tom gaped when the bricks started to moved aside, revealing the alley hidden behind them.

"You and your friend are always welcome at the Leaky Cauldron, Mr. Potter. Drop by any time. And thank you."

Harry and Tom watched as the man bowed and returned to the pub, leaving them to stare at the wonder before them.

"I love magic," Harry simply stated.

They boys stepped into the bustling alley, mindful to dodge people who were scurrying from place to place. Witches and wizards as far as they could see, dress in odd robes and wearing strange hats. Yet, it was all so amazing, they couldn't help but admire everything they saw.

Harry pointed ahead, "I think that's Gringotts."

Tom nodded at the white building and started off in that direction. "Let's get this heritage testing over with. I really want to see the book shops."

"Me too. This will be so bloody awesome!"

"Language," Tom said with a frown.

"Git."

**A/N: Another one done!**

**How was it? Let me know!**

**Check out my other Harry/Tom stories. '_Surge de Hydra_', '_What's in a Name?_' and '_It's Okay Now_'.**

**See ya! :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hello, people! Thanks for reading!**

**I don't own Harry' Potter.**

**I have no beta.**

**ENJOY!**

Harry and Tom stared up at the large white building in wonder. Harry particularly liked the poem on the silver doors.

_**Enter, stranger, but take heed,**_

_**Of what awaits the sin of greed,**_

_**For those who take, but do not earn, **_

_**Must pay most dearly in their turn.**_

_**So if you seek beneath our floors,**_

_**A treasure that was never yours,**_

_**Thief, you have been warned, beware,**_

_**Of finding more than treasure there.**_

It was like a warning and a challenge all wrapped up into one and he found it catchy. Especially the latter half.

The guards at the doors stared as they entered and Harry was beginning to get annoyed with the staring.

It was a long hall, with a very shiny marble floor and two long rows of desks on either side of the room. Goblins, as Dumbledore had told them, were sitting behind them, doing their work.

Harry liked them and was excited at the prospect of learning about the different magical creatures out there!

They approached the big podium the end of the room and Harry cleared his throat, catching the old Goblin's attention.

"Headmaster Dumbledore told us to come here and get a Heritage Test done."

The Goblin leaned over the podium to get a good look at them, "And you are?"

"I'm Harry Potter, sir."

The Goblin's eyes lingered on his forehead, just like the bartender's did, and he nodded. "And do you have your vault key?" he asked with a small sneer.

Harry pulled the key out of his coat pocket, "He gave me this."

The Goblin took it and examined it closely and finally nodded, "Very well." He turned and called to a nearby Goblin, "Griphook, take these two young wizards and give them the Heritage Test. Albus Dumbledore seems to believe that both of them need to be checked."

He returned Harry's key and told the two boys to follow the other Goblin.

Through the halls of the large bank and into a normal sized room, Griphook lead them.

They waited as he pulled out two bowls and placed them on the large table. Inside both were white petals.

"Both of you will pick a bowl and you will each use one of these daggers to draw some blood. The petals will change color. The color will depend on what House you are from. If you are the heir apparent, a ring will appear in the bowl, for a House. Please proceed."

Harry and Tom shrugged and chose their own bowl. Tom grabbed the dagger with a green handle and Harry grabbed the one with a silver handle. With a small hiss of annoyance, they cut their palms with a diagonal slash and let the blood drip into their bowls.

Harry's eyes went wide as is cut healed right before his eyes. A look over at Tom, showed the exact same thing. That was bloody awesome!

On the table appeared to pieces of parchment, one in front of Harry and the other in front of Tom.

Griphook emptied Harry's bowl on his right side and emptied Tom's on his left. His eyes went wide as he looked over the collection of rings and petals and then looked at the parchments.

He cleared his throat and a controlled look overcame his features. He was all business now.

"It's very good that you both have taken the test. Inactive vaults are a problem."

Harry's head tilted, "Is that because the bank doesn't get paid for an inactive vault?"

The Goblin's eyes went wide and he nodded slowly. "That is correct, Mr. Potter. I shall started with Mr. Riddle."

He cleared his throat and began reading off the parchment on his left.

**Tom Marvolo Riddle(status: halfblood): Son of Tom Riddle Senior(muggle, status: alive) and Merope Riddle nee Gaunt(pureblood, status: deceased). Born December 31st, 1979.**

**Direct descendant of the House of Gaunt(heir apparent).**

**Direct descendant of the House of Peverell(heir apparent). **

**Direct descendant of the Ancient and Noble House of Slytherin(heir apparent).**

**Gaunt Vaults: 600, 601 and 602.**

**Peverell Vault: 102.**

**Slytherin Vault: 10.**

He looked at Tom and nodded his head. "I read your's first for a very good reason. When I read Mr. Potter's, you will understand."

He looked over to Harry's parchment and began to read.

**Harry James Potter(status: halfblood): Son of James Potter(pureblood, status: deceased) and Lily Potter nee Evans(muggleborn, status: deceased). Born July 31st, 1980.**

**Direct descendant of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter(heir apparent).**

**Direct descendant of the House of Peverell.**

**Direct descendant of the Ancient and Noble House of Ravenclaw(heir apparent).**

**Direct descendant of the Ancient and Noble House of Slytherin.**

**Direct descendant to the Ancient and Noble House of Black(heir apparent appointed by godfather, Sirius Black, Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black).**

**Potter Vaults: 687, 688 and 689.**

**Peverell Vault: 102.**

**Ravenclaw Vault: 12.**

**Slytherin Vault: 10**

**Black Vaults: 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27.**

He looked up. "Now, both of you are descendants of Peverell and Slytherin, but because Mr. Riddle is older, he is the heir apparent. If he were to pass on suddenly, Mr. Potter would become the heir apparent. You are not directly related. You are cousins, _very distantly_ related. I have to mention this bylaw incase you two become involved later on in the future."

Both boy's heads tilted to the right, "Huh?"

He sighed, "If you become a couple and want to marry in the future. There is a law against first cousins marrying, but second cousins and beyond are perfectly acceptable. Parents cannot marry their children unless they are soulmates or are mates because they have creature blood."

"Marry?!" Harry said suddenly.

Griphook nodded, "It is common for same sex marriages. The magical world is not prejudicial to such things. If your soulmate is the same sex as you, you can't control it. Love is an important thing in the magical world and isn't taken lightly. Besides, any magical man can carry a child, if they are powerful enough, take a potion or cast a spell. So, there are no issues with such things."

Harry and Tom stared at each other, trying to see if they could ever possibly marry the other. Tom shrugged it off to think about later, but Harry lingered a bit, somewhat liking the idea of marrying Tom. They were best friends and it would be cool.

Griphook cleared his throat to gain their full attention. "You both are descendants of Slytherin, one of the Hogwarts Founders. Ravenclaw is another Founder. On your parchments, it explains how you are related to them. It started with the Peverell brothers: Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus. The Potter line came from Ignotus whereas the Gaunt line came from Cadmus. One of Salazar Slytherin's great-great granddaughters married into the line of the Gaunt's. Salazar's son had two children. One son and one daughter. They had five daughters and one of them married Ignotus Peverell. Rowena Ravenclaw had an illegitimate daughter, though she was a pureblood, and she had a great granddaughter that married Ignotus's grandson."

Tom and Harry stared at each other and nodded in acceptance.

Griphook gestured to the rings laying before both boys. "Those are the heir rings. They will protect you from hexes and jinxes. They will heat when poison comes anywhere near you. They will also prevent people from using Legilimency on you, which is when someone reads your mind and sees your memories. Place them on your right index finger and they will combine into one ring."

The boys did so.

"Now, Mr. Potter, Vault 687 is your school/trust fund. Ten thousand Galleons is placed into there every year from the main Potter Vault. Every month, your family is give 200 Galleons**(A/N: about 2,000 U.S. dollars a month)** for taking care of you. A Galleon is worth an equivalent of 4.97 pounds**(A/N: 10.17 U.S. dollars)**."

Harry and Tom both froze at those words.

Tom was the one to speak on Harry's behalf though, because he couldn't move.

"Are you talking about his wretch of an Aunt who dumped him at Wools Orphanage on November fifth of 1981, only four days after he was left on her doorstep?" he asked in a very low and cold voice.

Griphook's eyes went wide. "You mean Mr. Potter has lived in an orphanage for the past ten years and the letters we've been receiving from his Aunt, Petunia Dursley about how he is happy and healthy is all a lie?" he asked, pointy teeth grinding.

Tom nodded, "We've been in the orphanage for a _long_ time."

Griphook stood, "Then it's a good thing we have access to Vernon Dursley's muggle account. The money will be recovered and the Ministry of Magic will be alerted. They will not get away with this. Pardon me for a moment."

Harry sat there for a moment, shaking his head in annoyance. Of course they would steal from him.

Tom laid a hand on his shoulder, "You'll get it all back. Whatever happens to them, I hope it hurts in some way."

He nodded and heaved a sigh. "It's just so annoying."

Griphook returned several minutes later, "The Head Goblin has been informed of your standing and what has transpired. He is rectifying it immediately. Now, onto the contents of your vaults. The complete overview of each vault is on your respective parchments. There is also a limit to how much you may remove from each vault. Mr. Potter, you may not access Vault 689 until your seventeenth birthday or you become emancipated. It is the main Potter Vault."

Griphook folded his long fingers, "Now, the Heritage Test costs five Galleons which will be removed from one of your vaults. We have your keys. Some vaults require the blood of a descendant in order to be entered, however. Do you wish to see your vaults now?"

Both nodded and were introduced to the carts and neither boy liked them.

Tom took two hundred Galleons from the Gaunt Vault and Harry took the same amount of Galleons from his trust fund. After all business was taken care of, they moved off into the Alley where they had to shop for school supplies.

Harry and Tom chose Ollivanders to purchase their wands. The man who ran the shop, was a nutter.

He was smiley and as soon as he saw Harry's his smile went so wide, his cheeks looked like they hurt.

"I wondered when I'd be seeing you Mr. Potter."

Harry gaped. Why did everyone know who he was? Finally, he couldn't take it and just asked the old man why.

"You do not know?"

Both boys shook their heads.

"Oh my! Well Mr. Potter, several years ago there was a Dark Wizard who was moving to take over the world. He wanted to kill all halfbloods, muggleborns and muggles. Only purebloods were acceptable in his eyes. He murdered many people and did many terrible things. One night, he went after your parents because they were one of the many family's against him. He murdered your parents but when he turned on you, you didn't die. The killing curse cannot be stopped or deflected by any kind of spell, but for some reason when he used it on you, it reflected back on him and he died. His body was found next to your crib. The scar on your forehead is the the sign that the curse didn't work on you, because the wand movement for the killing curse is exactly that shape**(A/N: this is a fact, look it up on Harry Potter wikia)**. You are revered as the Savior of the Wizarding World and known as the Boy-Who-Lived, because you defeated the greatest Dark Lord of all time and are the only survivor of the killing curse."

Harry's mouth dropped open. No wonder everyone knew who he was! All over that!

"Uh, thank you for telling me, sir."

The man just smiled again, "Time to get your wands!"

He moved into the back of the hall behind him and came out with a few boxes. He then had Tom try out every wand, until the very last wand, had a reaction. It glowed a bright green and ruffled the boy's hair a bit and the old man smiled.

"Wonderful! Now, for you Mr. Potter."

Harry went through fifteen wands and each time he waved one, something would explode.

The man looked between him and Tom for a moment and then to the back of the shop. "I wonder," he murmured.

He went back down the hall and pulled a box from the wall and stared at it for a moment. He then glanced back at Harry and came forward, taking off the lid and unwrapping the wand from the silk.

He delicately handed the and over to Harry, who took it gently, treating it as if it were a baby.

The light that erupted in his hand was silver and Harry's eyes went wide. The wand was literally vibrating!

When the light died down, the man was staring at him, "Very curious."

"Huh?" was Harry's unintelligent response, which made Tom roll his eyes.

"I remember every wand I have ever sold. To whom it was sold to, the exact date it was created and the elements that are within it. No two wands can ever be the same, they can however, have the same core. Wand cores are made from parts of beings that have been willingly given. Such as, Unicorn Horn or Hair, Veela Hair, Dragon Heartstrings and even Phoenix Tears and Feathers. When two wands have the same core, their cores were given by the same being on the same day. This creates brother wands. Wizards who have brother wands, have a connection, whether by friendship, love or maybe even because they are mates. It's curious, because the Phoenix which gave a tail feather for your wand only gave one other feather. And I find it interesting that the brother wand to your wand, belongs to your friend here."

Harry and Tom stared at each other in shock. They both raised their wands and the two started to hum loudly, each glowing their respective color.

"Yes. Your connection is deep and because you possess brother wands, it will only become deeper as the years go by. You two complement each other perfectly," the man nodded to himself and went behind the counter.

"It'll be seven Galleons each."

They quickly paid him, while still thinking about the oddness of their wands.

"Have a nice day and may your future be great!"

As they left the shop, Tom leaned into Harry and whispered, "He's a bit mad, that one."

Harry nodded, "Just a little."

Their next adventure was Flourish and Blotts, where the boys bought their school books and vowed to return when they acquired the rest of their school supplies. Harry bought himself a Snowy Owl, because he really liked her and she just seemed to understand him, with those big golden eyes. Her name was now Hedwig and he bought her some owl treats to commemorate the moment. He also bought several rats for Nagini so that she wouldn't feel left out.

Before they left, Harry was commissioned to wait outside as Tom paid for some extra books, so that they could catch up on their knowledge. So, taking most of his money and most of Harry's he set off.

Harry looked around and saw an ice cream parlor and took his business there as he waited for Tom. He also made doubly sure to hide his scar behind his bangs. The adoring looks he got everywhere he went were annoying and he knew they recognized him because of it.

Looking up at the list,he ordered himself a chocolate and made sure to get Tom vanilla. He always did like plain flavors.

As he moved to go back to the bookstore, he almost ran into a boy with a pointy face. He had pale blonde hair and a scowl was now firmly plastered across his features.

"Can't you watch where you're going?!" he hissed, using a tone he and Tom used a lot. The one where they felt they were better than someone. He did not appreciate someone using that very tone with him.

He took in the boy's appearance and snorted at the mirror in his hand, "Maybe is you weren't trying to fix that which has no hope, you would've seen where you were going."

The boy's mouth dropped and Harry moved on, ignoring his sputtering.

He met up with Tom in front of the book shop and offered him the ice cream as he settled the trunks with Hedwig's cage attached, down. Thank goodness for wheels.

Tom shook his head be accepted the ice cream and finished it off quickly.

"How broke are we now?" Harry asked after a lick.

Tom rolled his eyes. "We both have twenty-five Galleons left. And since that's wizard gold, we have a lot. I bought all sorts of books, that way we won't be ignorant when we get there."

"Good, I hate not knowing something."

They both returned to the orphanage around five in the evening and Mrs. Cole was ready to have an aneurysm at all the things they brought with them, but she didn't dare touch any of it. She knew that bad things happened to people who tried to take Tom's and Harry's things.

It was a few days later, when Harry was reading up on Transfiguration, that Tom burst into his room, shoving a book under his nose.

"Here you are! This is a picture of what you're supposed to look like according to them, but they couldn't be any further off."

Harry looked at the picture of him. It was a painting probably, but it was _not_ him. He had midnight black hair with bright green eyes and very pale skin. Not dark brown hair, light green eyes with gross looking spectacles and a tan! Who were they trying to make him look like?

Tom turned to a previous page, "These are your parents. I think they expected you to look like your father."

Harry's nose wrinkled, happy that he didn't look like the man. He just looked like that one nerdy kid that no one wanted to be around. Looking at his mother, he could only wonder what she saw in the guy.

He looked at the paragraph of information and was annoyed to see to little about them listed. His father was Head Boy and a Prefect in school and he was a Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. His mother was a certified Healer and was Head Girl and a Prefect for Gryffindor. Both received an Order of Merlin Second Class.

Both were good at Charms and Transfiguration. The Dark Lord who killed them, Gellert Grindelwald, hated them because they were severely against his cause. Harry's father turning on him by marrying someone who wasn't a pureblood and his mother who healed anyone who survived a raid. They firmly stood against him and lost their lives protecting Harry when the man came to kill them.

He wished there was more, but he wanted to know what was written about him. He flipped back to the inaccurate picture of him and read the paragraph.

Apparently he was born in a place called Godric's Hollow and there was a statue of him and his parent in the center of the small village. To muggles it looked like an obelisk with some carved names but any magical person could see that it a statue of Harry and his parents. The home his parents lived in was still there in it dilapidated state as a memorial for the wizarding world. It was protected by magic so that muggles couldn't see it.

All the information on him, was just speculation about him being a lot like his father with a few attributes of his mother. He was disappointed.

Tom watched as he looked at the pages and didn't speak even when his annoyance rose. Harry handed the book back.

"They know nothing about me, yet I'm in the History books."

"Yes, they are fools. I know you don't really like the fame, but can you imagine the things you can get when you flash your forehead? That kind of power is the ultimate and useful."

Harry shrugged, "I guess."

Harry returned to what he was doing before Tom showed up and Tom settled himself on Harry's right side, to finish his book.

Nagini sat in the far corner watching everything and she hissed in delight. Things were going perfectly. Soon her hatchlings would be away from this horrid place and be free and happy.

It was only a matter of time.

**A/N: Another done!**

**How was it? Let me know!**

_**Check out my other Tom/Harry stories.**_

**See ya! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hello, people!**

**I don't own Harry Potter.**

**I have no beta.**

**ENJOY!**

"Is it me, or are the taxi services charging more money?"

Tom shook his head. "No, they are. Thankfully we have the funds necessary to afford a taxi, because there is no conceivable way that I am riding a bus with all of this luggage with us."

"We did it once," Harry reminded him.

"And do you remember the difficulty we had while doing so?"

The younger boy stuck his tongue out at his friend. "Bite me, Tom."

Harry pulled at his coat to check on Nagini, who was wrapped around his neck a few times and then slithered her head into his left sleeve, where her head rested under his hand. The way, she got some fresh air.

Tom nudged Harry and he realized that they had reached the Station. After getting their belongings from the trunk and what they had placed in the back seat with them, they paid the man and were off.

The two looked for platform 9 ¾ and Harry smacked Tom's arm when he saw a red-haired boy disappeared through a wall between platforms nine and ten, like he walked _right through_ the wall.

Another three red heads pushed their trolleys through the wall, followed by a short red-haired woman and a small red-haired girl.

"Let's go dear, we have to help Ron. It _is _his first year at Hogwarts after all. Now, remember to run."

Harry and Tom watched and when they were gone, they wheeled their own trolleys over to the wall. "We should run too. They all ran, so it must work best that way," Harry suggested.

Tom shrugged and decided to go first. He was the eldest and just in case it was a trick, he would be injured and Harry would be okay. Kind yes, but he would only ever do it for Harry. No one else deserved such a privilege.

When he didn't crash into the wall, he stopped and noticed that he was looking at another wall and above his head was the sign for the correct platform. Harry appeared a moment later and with a smile, wheeled his trolley over to a man who was busy placing things onto the train. He had a wand out and was levitating the luggage.

The man smiled at them. "Take your trunks that have your uniforms in them. I'll handle the rest. Leave your things on the train, they will be taken to your dorms after you are sorted into your house. You will have to change into your uniforms sometime before you reach the castle. Tickets please?"

Harry and Tom handed their tickets over and grabbed the trunks that had their school clothes. Harry waved to Hedwig and boarded the train with his friend.

Tom was glad to find a compartment in the back, clear of people and other luggage. The two immediately claimed it as their own, establishing their space. Each had a side to themselves and Harry reclined with a happy sigh. The cushions are comfortable.

"We should changed quickly, that way we can do whatever for the next few hours. I have a feeling that this'll be a long ride," Tom said, opening his trunk.

Harry sighed, but copied his friend. Get it out of the way now and then they wouldn't have to worry about it later.

Several minutes later, Harry and Tom were both engrossed in some books about the wizarding world. Having read through their school books already, they needed other things to keep them occupied.

The door of their compartment opened a few minutes later and a bushy haired girl stepped in. She gave them a look over, seeing their impeccably attired selves and then looked about the small room.

"Have either of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville has lost one."

They shook their heads.

She sighed. "That's too bad. I've helped him look all over the train. Well anyway, I'm Hermione Granger. May I please know your names?"

Tom and Harry shared a look. Tom went first.

"Tom Riddle."

Hermione nodded to him and then looked at Harry.

"Harry Potter."

Her eyes went abnormally wide, drawing attention to them. "I've read about you! Although, I _do _have to ask if any of it was true, because your appearance does _not _match the description _I_ read about."

Harry shrugged, "Most of it is speculation. I've never talked to a publisher, an author or anyone, so I don't know where they got these ludicrous ideas from."

Hermione nodded, understanding his plight. "I just found out a few months ago that I'm a witch. What about you to?"

"We've known about our magic for years, but we never had anyone to teach us. When Headmaster Dumbledore gave us our letters, he explained some things and Tom and I took it from there. It's been interesting to read about the wizarding world," Harry explained.

Hermione nodded, "I know! I got as many books as I could! I love learning! I just wish others would see it as an importance and not a nerdy thing," she grumbled to herself.

Harry shrugged, "Knowledge is power and those who have it, are powerful. You're better off without simple-minded fools anyway. Tom and I won't judge you for wanting to learn and become smarter."

Hermione grinned at him. "Thanks! Anyway, I'm hoping to be in Ravenclaw. You?"

"**Slytherin**," the boys answered in unison.

"Or Ravenclaw also. We connect with Slytherin and Ravenclaw on a more personal level and our intelligence is rather high. Either is best for us," Harry added.

Hermione nodded, "I should probably get back to helping Neville, he still needs help. If you _do_ see a toad, could you please capture it and wait until I see you again to hand it over?"

Harry nodded and with a smile, Hermione was off.

"I like her. It's good to see a girl so interested in learning. She'd be a good acquaintance."

Tom rolled his eyes, but didn't argue.

* * *

Arriving at Hogwarts was an interesting affair. It was well into the evening and Harry and Tom were hungry. Though Tom wouldn't admit it out loud, Harry knew his friend well enough to know when he was hungry. They had only gotten some snacks while on the train and that was _ages _ago. Tom was grumbling about healthy food and proper eating while Harry was just hoping to eat more than gruel.

A very large dark-haired man was calling for all the first years. He looked like he had a lion's mane with his large beard and long scraggly hair surrounding his head. He easily dwarfed everyone there. The first years were to follow him.

There were led to a large lake, were several boats were spread out for the new students to take. Harry and Tom managed to get a boat with Hermione and the Neville boy she had been helping. Tom was secretly glad that there could be no more than four to a boat.

The big man, whom Hermione had identified as Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds, got his own boat. Once everyone was settled, the boats were off.

Before them, was Hogwarts Castle. Leading up to the massive building was a large stone staircase that twisted all up to the rocks. It led from the boathouse to the firelit platform in front of the door.

It didn't take long for him to make it across. Tom had been mumbling to himself about the various creatures there were rumored to live in the lake. Unfortunately, Neville heard him and latched on to Hermione, clinging for dear life.

After walking up the long staircase, they were instructed to wait on the platform. A tall, stern looking woman appeared a moment later. She wore spectacles, a pointed hat and dark hunter green robes.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," she greeted them with an obviously Scottish brogue.

"I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress, Head of Gryffindor House and Professor of Transfiguration. I will be escorting you into the Great Hall where you will be sorted into your Houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. While you are here, your House will be like your family. Triumphs, good deeds and overall well doing in your classes will earn you points. Any rule breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the House who has the most points is awarded the House Cup, so I wish you all luck. Please wait here until I collect you."

She walked off, up the small flight of stairs and through the double doors.

"It's _you_."

Harry turned and made eye contact with the blonde from Diagon Alley. Standing behind him, were what Harry could only describe as gorillas. Big, meaty and daft looking. This was a small gang and those two were obviously the muscle.

The blonde was sneering slightly as he looked Harry over.

"You're evidently well off. Are you from a pureblood family? Just who are you anyway?"

Harry sighed, "Yes, I'm well off, my family is dead and I am a person."

Eyes narrowed, "I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. I plan to be in Slytherin just like all of my ancestors. What House are you aiming to be in?"

"Slytherin or Ravenclaw. My intelligence would be wasted elsewhere."

The boy's sneer lessened considerably and he gave Harry a closer once over.

"I guess you aren't _that_ bad, then."

Harry turned back to Tom, who was staring at him.

"What?" he asked.

Tom shrugged, "Nothing."

Professor McGonagall returned a moment later, "Follow me please and keep in a line of two each."

Tom and Harry were right behind Hermione and Neville who were in front as they followed the old woman. Through the double doors, down a corridor and through another set of double doors.

Harry could tell that Tom was interested in the ceiling, which was enchanted, or so _Hogwarts a History_ said. The fact that it looked like there wasn't a ceiling, impressed and intrigued Tom. Tom always seemed to like nighttime, because he liked Astronomy, and the enchanted ceiling of Hogwarts represented something he loved.

McGonagall led them down the center of two rows of long tables. There were four altogether and above each was a flag that represented which House was which.

"Wait along here please."

They all spread out before the small steps as she climbed them to grab a scroll from a lone stool. An old-looking hat sat atop the stool and a large rip appeared in the seam.

It started singing!

Harry looked at Tom. Tom looked at Harry. Both winced, wondering if this was a regular occurrence.

Once it was over, the hat went silent and McGonagall pulled it off the stool.

"When I call your name, you will come up, I will place the Sorting Hat on your head and you will be sorted. Hannah, Abbott."

And so the list went, the hat shouting out Houses as students were sorted.

"Hermione, Granger."

The girl walked forward and sat on the stool. The hat was placed on her head and for nearly twenty seconds, it was silent. It then yelled out, "RAVENCLAW!"

She smiled brightly and skipped to her table after waving to Neville who was called next.

Neville fidgeted as the hat decided on where he should go.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Draco, Malfoy."

The blonde sat on the stool. The hat barely touched his head before shouting, "SLYTHERIN!"

With a smirk, Draco joined the clapping Slytherins.

Next came the Patil twins, who were separated to Gryffindor and Ravenclaw.

"Harry, Potter."

Dead silence rang through the Great Hall. Harry sighed and stepped up to the stool. Sitting down, the hat was placed on his head.

**Well, I've never met someone so strongly suited to two Houses before. Slytherin or Ravenclaw. And seeing how you are a descendant of both, you'd do well in ether. However, you have a skill that only a Slytherin would possess, so I know just where to put you.**

Harry had at first been shocked when a voice sounded in his head, but then he recognized the voice as the hat and was relieved to know that no one else was hearing what it was saying. It said it knew where to put him.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Success!

Harry moved away from the stool and down the steps, but stopped and stood there. He just noticed that the entire school was silent. Speculations had been that he would be in Gryffindor like his parents, but he just proved them all wrong. Apparently, it was a shock.

"Mr. Potter, what are you doing?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Waiting," he answered. "You'll see why."

She frowned, but looked back to her scroll, "Thomas, Riddle."

Harry saw Tom sneer at his name. He hated it, a lot. Tom took one step forward, placing a foot on the first stair. Not even a second passed after that one simple movement and the hat suddenly yelled, "SLYTHERIN!"

McGonagall's jaw dropped and Harry looked around to see people gaping. Tom hadn't even made it up the rest of the stairs or to the stool or to the hat itself and it had already called his House.

Tom smirked and made his way over to Harry, who was smirking in return. "Nice, you show off," he mumbled.

"I actually didn't do anything," Tom responded with a shrug.

Harry rolled his eyes and led them over to the Slytherin table where they took the seats on the very end, across from one another.

The entire table was staring at them in shocked silence. Draco mostly.

As the sorting continued on, he leaned toward Harry. "_You're_ Harry Potter?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes."

The blonde looked him over. Third time that evening, Harry noticed. He then looked at Tom.

"I've never heard of Riddle. Are you a mudblood?"

Tom's dark green eyes narrowed dangerously and Harry saw Draco flinch slightly. "I am a halfblood, not that it matters."

"Then what pureblood family are you from?"

Tom raised his right hand, flashing his heir ring. "Gaunt," he said.

"Weren't they descendants of Slytherin?" Draco asked some girl who was sitting opposite him.

She nodded, "I think so."

Tom was nodding, "Yes. I'm the heir of Slytherin and the Peverell family as well."

Harry was nodding, staring at his own heir ring. "Yeah, you're special too."

Draco and the surrounding Slytherins who had been listening in, all blanched when they saw the snake on Tom's ring, proving his claim. Draco the looked at Harry. "Aren't you the heir to the Potter line?"

Harry inclined his head. "Yes. As well as the House of Black and Ravenclaw. I _also _am a descendant of Peverell and Slytherin. Tom and I are very distant cousins."

"So then, can you both speak to snakes?" Draco asked slowly, eyeing both of them warily.

The boys nodded. Harry grinned, "Have been for years."

"You're going to have to _show_ us at some point," he said in a haughty tone.

"Why not now?" Harry hissed and Nagini slithered partly out of his robe pocket.

She surveyed the room and then looked to Tom.

"_**I ssssee you've made it into Sssslytherin. Good job.**_"

Tom bowed his head in respect, "_**Thank you, Nagini.**_"

"_**Wake me when you reach your dormssss.**_"

"_**Will do,**_" Harry nodded.

She then slithered back into the pocket, leaving the Slytherin table stunned.

"Nagini had been with me for years. There was no way I was leaving her home. Besides, I saw a boy who had a pet rat with him and if one can break the rules anyone else can as well. Though she isn't a pet, she's like a mother/tutor for us."

Draco gaped for a moment, until a dark-skinned boy sat beside him, cutting off his view of Harry.

Headmaster Dumbledore stood and said some encouraging words.

And finally, came the words Harry wanted to hear. "Tuck in."

Harry looked at Tom as food appeared along the table. "I reiterate, 'I love magic'."

"I do as well."

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I took a break to work on my Naruto stories.**

**How was it? Let me know in a respectful manner please?**

_**Check out my other Harry Potter stories. I'm doing other SLASH as well.**_

**See ya! :D**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hello, people! Thanks for the reviews, favs and follows! You all rock!**

**I don't own Harry Potter.**

**I have no beta.**

**ENJOY! *NOTE* Voldemort does not exist in this fic. The wizard who killed Harry's parents wasn't Voldemort. It was another person. Someone was wondering why Dumbledore hasn't done anything about Tom yet and they reason being, is that Tom was born in 1979, not in the 40s. This isn't a time-travel fic either. I have two of those and don't want to do another. Everything is present day(in the 90s, since that was when Harry Potter was set). *NOTE***

Tom and Harry immediately claimed the two four-posters in the far back of the dorm room. Nagini was released and she slithered up one post and turned her attention to the boys as they unpacked their trunks, hissing orders that the other members of the dorm couldn't understand.

Every now and then, Harry or Tom would stop what they were doing to look at her and then shrug.

"_**Transsssfigure me a bed, pleasssse?**_" Nagini asked, motioning to the space between their beds.

"_**Out of what?**_" Harry asked, looking at Tom for help. The other boy just shrugged.

Tom went and rummaged through his trunk. He pulled out a black muffler and handed it to Harry.

"_**I'm going to turn thissss, into a bed? How big?**_" Harry asked, looking the cloth up and down.

"_**Big enough for me to curl up,**_" Nagini answered.

Harry sighed and placed it on the floor. He cut Tom a look, "_**I hope you get another, becausssse your neck and facssse are going to freeze in the Winter.**_"

Harry focused on turning the cloth into a small dog bed. With a snap of his fingers, the muffler transformed into a small bed, big enough for Nagini's seven foot length.

The snake nodded to him and slithered down the post to approach her new bed.

The other boys in the dorm had watched the entire exchange and were wide-eyed and open-mouthed. None of them had ever seen someone _that young_ pull off transfiguration without a wand or even verbal magic.

Harry disappeared into the bathroom that was meant for the first year boys while Tom, sat back on his bed reading a book. Ten minutes later, the boys literally swapped places where Harry was reading a book, completely dressed for bed and Tom was busy in the other room.

They completely ignored their dormmates and just went on with their routine, like no one else was with them.

The boys were used to going to bed at ten and waking up at six. It was always better to start the day early, because it gets the blood pumping faster and would keep them focused. Starting school so early in the morning, usually had kids lost. The first two classes of the day were never well followed because of them still being tired. So, Harry and Tom woke up hours before other children in order to keep themselves ahead.

So, they woke up at six the next morning for their usual rituals, and were ready by seven. From then, they had an hour to explore the castle and learn where their classes were. Breakfast was at eight and lasted until nine and classes began at nine, fifteen.

The night before, the Head of Slytherin House had given the new boys and girls a small lecture. He was a stern looking man with dark shoulder length, greasy looking hair and a slightly hooked nose. His eyes were like tar. The man was also the Potions Master and his name was Severus Snape. With long black robes that billowed around him perfectly as he walked, he could have been a vampire for all they knew.

Apparently, Slytherin's password changed every three days and there was a board in the Common Room that announced it every night. There was another board that had the day's assignments on it. Every year of students would have no excuse to not do their homework and Snape seemed very demanding on making Slytherin look good. He said he would actually _check _to see if everyone did their work! It was obvious that he favored the house just by the way he spoke about it, compared to the other houses.

He told them that they should be careful how they show emotion and should always be proper when in the presence of the other houses. That way when the others acted up, Slytherin, even with its' bad reputation, looked better.

Ravenclaws were okay to befriend, because they were the most tolerable and rarely there was a Gryffindor who could meet the demands of a Slytherin. However, they were forbidden from befriending Hufflepuffs. Apparently, that was the 'pansy' house and it would ruin the exterior of Slytherin to be seen consorting with one.

A word that they were all forbidden from using was, 'mudblood'. He would not condone such words being thrown about outside of the Dungeons. Everyone was told that if they see a Slytherin using that word when they weren't within the Dungeons, they were to go to him and he would deal with the offender. Snape would not tolerate them giving Slytherin a bad name.

Since the two boys liked being punctual and respectful, in order to get on the good sides of people, they decided to learn where the classes were.

Surprisingly, they ran into Hermione, who was out doing the exact same thing they were. She greeted them with a smile.

"How was your first evening? Are you happy to have gotten the House you wanted? I know I am," she smiled.

Both nodded, "Yes." Harry grinned slightly, "It's a very nice dorm as well. I liked the four-poster and my bedding was silver, my favorite color. Tom had green, which is his favorite color. You?"

"Royal blue and I love it. Though the girls are kind, but they seem to be too interested in their looks for people who are in Ravenclaw. What are they trying to do? They're eleven going on twelve, their looks shouldn't be at the forefront of their minds during this time," Hermione answered with a sigh.

It was glaringly obvious that Hermione didn't care about her looks. Her hair was frizzy and thick, but was pulled into a small ponytail away from her face. She was dressed immaculately from head to toe, which showed that while she wanted to look presentable, her looks weren't important to her.

Harry liked her and wasn't about to hide it!

"So, are you learning the route as well?"

She nodded, "Yes. The staircases change, just so you know. They literally move. It's best you know now, since you don't live in a tower like the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors do. Also, a lot of them have trick steps and some have none. Also, every now and then the classrooms will change."

The two took the information in. Well, it _was _a magical school, so maybe it was a test for the students.

Tom's head tilted slightly, "Care to join us in our search?"

Hermione smiled brightly, "Sure!"

As they walked along, Harry elbowed Tom and gave him a smirk. The other boy just shrugged.

For the remaining part of the hour, the three exchanged information on where they learned certain classes were. Also, it seemed that the Ravenclaw and Slytherin first years all had their classes together on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. So, they'd be together most of the time. They also decided to make a habit of studying and doing homework in the Library, which Hermione had stated was extremely vast and she couldn't wait to begin.

First years had to be in their Common Rooms by nine in the evening and to bed by ten. So, after classes ended around three, they would have time to study and do homework before supper. On Saturdays and Sundays, they had the entire day free to do whatever. Walk about the grounds, explore the castle or spend hours upon hours in the Library.

The three made their way to breakfast where they parted way to go to their respective tables.

There weren't many at the Slytherin table. None of the other first years were there yet and the second and third years were barely present. The older years were there, however.

Harry and Tom both took their seats at the end of the table and filled the plates that were set already. A myriad of foods were out for them to partake of and Harry gladly had bacon. Tom preferred eggs with nothing else. Something about healthy food first. Harry just shrugged.

They each pulled out a book they carried along with their textbooks in their bags, in order to keep themselves occupied during the day.

As he read, Harry absent-mindedly was stirring his tea. However, he was moving his hand in circles above the cup, magically making the spoon stir the liquid within. Tom was a more demanding person and every time he held his hand out, his teacup would slide across the table and right into his open hand.

Neither thought of this as an odd thing. They had been doing similar things for years and weren't about to stop. They didn't know that what they were doing, was considered a rare skill for people their age. They never knew that the entire Head Table was fixated on them as they read and ate and never saw the amazed looks they were on the receiving end of.

* * *

Minerva McGonagall was wide-eyed as she watched the two boys and one girl enter the room.

"I've never seen three first years get up so early. Not even Percy was down here by then," she commented, watching as the three split to their individual tables.

Albus Dumbledore nodded, "Yes. I was informed by a reliable portrait that all three were awake at seven, exploring the castle and trading information on where all the classes are. Now they all know where the rooms are, that the stairs move, that there are trick stairs and that the rooms change every now and then."

The other professors were shocked to hear that.

Dumbledore was smiling as he continued to tell them, "They also plan to meet in the Library after class every day to finish their assignments and start reading as many books as they can get their hands on."

"That sounds more like Ravenclaw than Slytherin to me," Minerva pointed out. "Why aren't the boys in Ravenclaw if they value knowledge so much?"

Dumbledore chuckled as a twinkle entered his eyes. "It turns out, that both young Harry Potter and young Tom Riddle are descendants of Slytherin himself and both are Parselmouths."

Dead silence met his statement.

"H-how do you know that, Albus?" Minerva asked, slightly worried.

"They were in the company of a large snake when I went to give them their letters. They had known for years that they were magical, because they said the snake told them. When I asked if they could speak to snakes, they said yes. It reached the ears of another portrait about their ancestry. They also wear the heir rings."

"Harry Potter is certainly not what I had expected him to be," Pomona Sprout stated, looking at the two boys who were reading their own books.

Severus Snape scoffed at her words.

"Look!" Pomona gasped, pointing to them.

Everyone turned and had a simultaneous reaction. Amazement. The boys were using magic on their drinks, which showed that they were used to it. The way they did it, just seemed so natural to them. And they weren't even paying attention!

"I have a feeling we have prodigies among us," Filius Flitwick said with a smile. "How can they do that so easily though? They haven't had any training, have they?"

Dumbledore shrugged, "I wouldn't know the answer, however they _were _playing magical catch before I arrived to hand them their letters. They may have good control, but they don't know how to hide their magic and presence yet."

The professors spent the rest of breakfast, surreptitiously watching the two boys.

* * *

Harry and Tom made their way down to the dungeon for Potions, with the Ravenclaw students. Hermione was with them as they entered the classroom.

Since Harry and Tom sat together, Harry suggested that Hermione sit with one of the girls in her dorm, because they had gotten along well enough the first night.

The class only had to wait a moment for Snape to show up. He sauntered in, robes billowing dramatically as he moved.

When he reached his desk, he turned sharply and faced them. Crossing his arms, he gave a sneer. "I don't expect many of you to understand the _delicate intricacies_ of potion making but I shall attempt to educate you in what I know."

His eyes roamed over every one of them and finally they landed on Harry.

The boy could feel the hatred from the professor rolling off the man and on to him. For some unfathomable reason, the Potions Master hated him and he didn't know why. All he knew was, this class was going to be a pain to get through.

Snape continued after a moment of staring Harry down. "There is little foolish wand waving or ridiculous incantations in this class. We focus solely on the particular sciences that revolve around potion making and nothing more. Do not bring your drama or high-handed attitudes into my class, I will not tolerate it." He gave Harry a scathing look after saying that.

"Potter!" Snape said suddenly, startling most of the Ravenclaws out of their seats. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Boy was Harry glad that he and Tom were such freaks when I came to reading. He actually knew the answer!

"A strong sleeping potion known as _Draught of the Living Death_, sir."

Snape's thin lips pursed. "Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Harry was extremely tempted to say in Snape's storehouse, but he was sure that snark wasn't tolerated in the class either.

"In the stomach of a goat, sir," he answered simply.

Snape looked livid and ready to spit fire. "What is the difference between wolfsbane and monkshood?" he gritted out.

"That's a trick question, sir. They are the same plant that also goes by the name, aconite."

Snape took in a deep breath and Harry could see the hatred in those eyes burning hotter than ever.

_Seriously, for a professor, he has issues. I don't know what I did, but apparently, he's out to ruin my life. He's doesn't even know me. But why should I care if people like me or not? I have Tom and maybe Hermione. I don't need anyone, just as no one wanted or needed me._

Harry returned the glare as best as he could and Snape seemed to recoil slightly, but he kept his arms crossed and the stern look in place.

He looked at the rest of the class, "Well?! Why aren't you writing any of that down?!" he snapped.

A few moments later, after everyone had written down the conversation between Harry and Snape, he told them that they were brewing a Heritage Potion.

As they collected the much needed ingredients, Harry muttered to Tom. "Isn't this a fifth year potion?"

"Yes."

The two immediately set to creating the potion, measuring, slicing and dicing when necessary.

By the end of the hour, when everyone had finished and had filled vials with their potions, Snape had them test the potion out, on themselves. If it worked, the symbols of the Houses you were related to, would appear above your head. If it didn't work, nothing would happen at all.

The students slugged back their potions and waited.

Only four students managed to successfully brew the potion. Harry, Tom, Hermione and another Ravenclaw girl.

The most shocking thing though, to Harry at least, was that there was an odd symbol above Hermione's head.

He looked at her in awe, "I though you said you were a muggleborn."

She was looking shocked as well. "I am," she answered breathlessly.

"Uh...no you aren't, otherwise the symbol of Gryffindor wouldn't be hanging over your head. Someone in your family was magical, meaning you aren't a muggleborn. I suggest that you go to Gringotts when you can, and take the Heritage Test. It's very helpful in finding out your ancestry and how exactly you are related _to _said people."

No one looked more shocked than Draco. Draco seemed to have a thing against muggleborns, like most of Slytherin House, and he had been bad mouthing the 'bushy-haired mudblood' for the remainder of supper the night before. That was before he was warned about not saying such a word outside of the Common Room.

Both Harry and Tom had Slytherin and Peverell above them. Tom had Gaunt added and Harry had Potter, Black and Ravenclaw with his.

Snape looked like someone had just spit in his tea. The look he was sending Harry could kill, if...you know, looks could kill.

"Ten points each to the one's who managed to achieve the correct result on a fifth year potion. For your next class, you will write me an essay on the properties of aconite and all the ways it can be applied. For those of you who _didn't _get the potion correct, you will _also _have to write me an essay about bezoars and their many uses as well. Dismissed."

Harry and Tom stood, putting their things away as they joined Hermione in leaving the room. They never noticed the dark eyes watching as they left.

* * *

The next class was with Rolanda Hooch, a spiky grey hair woman with piercing gold eyes that put Hedwig's eyes to shame. On the far left side of the Hogwarts grounds, they were learning how to fly on broomsticks.

Most of the other male students, Draco included, were bragging about a game called Quidditch. Harry and Tom had read about it, but weren't interested in the game. They just wanted to know how to ride a broom so that could have a better traveling method in the future.

Madam Hooch blew the whistle around her neck.

"Alright! I want everyone to step up to the left side of their broomstick, hold your right hands above it and say, 'up'!"

The students followed her orders.

Harry's broom immediately leapt to his hand and he caught it easily. Tom was just staring at his broom, not seeing the point. Harry nudged him and the boy gave a reluctant sigh.

"Up," he mumbled.

The broom jumped into his hand instantly and Harry gave him a smirk.

"Quickly!" Madam Hooch urged the rest of the class. Other than Draco, Tom and Harry, nearly everyone was having a difficult time.

Hermione's broom kept rolling over, but nothing would happen.

Harry leaned toward her, "Don't do it with a mentality of being better than it, or showing it that you're in charge. Just confidently say, 'up'."

She frowned but did so.

It wasn't shocking when the broom rose into her hand.

'Thank you,' she mouthed.

"Once you have a hold of your broomstick, mount it and grip it firmly, or else you'll fall off the end and we've had students who did that in the past. Once you are prepared, kick off from the ground, hard. Keep yourself steady, hover for a few moments, then lean forward slowly and you will touch back down. Once some of you have a hang of it, you may try again at a higher altitude, but only one that I approve of. Step to it!"

Harry found that riding a broom was easy. He and Tom both managed to master the small directions they were given and Madam Hooch immediately told them to practice turning and moving at a faster pace, but only under her supervision.

Draco had to completely relearn how to ride a broomstick, because apparently he had never learned how to do it properly. Since Madam Hooch was instructing him on the proper broom riding technique, she didn't see that both Harry and Tom, were performing what could only be described as a suicide dive.

"Professor!" one of the girls yelled in a panic.

She turned in time to see both boys pulling up from their dive and landing smoothly.

Harry and Tom were too busy smirking at one another to notice the woman's astonishment. She was staring for quite a while, until she realized her mouth was open, and promptly shut it.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Riddle, do you know how dangerous that was?" she asked, giving them a stern look.

The boy's shrugged!

"It just seemed natural, to me at least," Harry explained.

"I second that statement," Tom added.

Rolanda was left in a state of shock. Natural talent. She had received two students with natural talent in flying. Oh, the Quidditch possibilities! Both of them were in Slytherin as well, which would raise the chances for the house once they were old enough to join the House Team. They would need training.

"Everyone, keep working on your flying and landing. Mr. Potter, Mr. Riddle, I'd like to speak with you."

Harry and Tom were led away from the students for a good distance.

Madam Hooch turned to the and cleared her throat. "You two have natural talent in flying. I've decided to give you extra lesson in the subject. You could be a great asset to the Slytherin Quidditch Team. The team that wins their match gets one hundred and fifty points to their House. You can become Captain at any point in time so long as you show skill, talent and maturity. Captains have the same authority as Prefects and can issue detentions and give and take away points. They also have access to all the Prefect's bathrooms in the school."

She had played her cards correctly. The thought of more power at their disposal was nice. Tom and Harry glanced at one another and nodded.

"Will this interfere without our studies?" Tom asked, looking the woman dead in the eye.

She shivered slightly and shook her head. "An hour every Saturday is all I need. And since you will only need it this year, because you can try out for the Team next year, you won't lose any time in the upcoming years."

Harry shrugged. It wasn't like he and Tom would struggle. They thrived under pressure and since schooling came easy to them, they could dedicate time to other things. Like getting personal with the Library.

"We'll do it," Tom decided and Harry nodded.

"Excellent!"

* * *

The first years' introduction to Transfiguration was interesting. The professor had been nowhere to be found, but there _was_ a cat on her desk.

Harry elbowed Tom and pointed to the cat as they took the seat in front of the class. Hermione and some Ravenclaw sat to their right.

"Doesn't that cat look like Professor McGonagall?" he asked his friend.

Tom stared at the feline for a moment and noticed how it was fixated on them immediately. It was an unnaturally intelligent cat.

As he looked closer, he noticed the strange markings around the eyes.

"I don't think that's really a cat," Tom stated, looking the feline square in the eye. "What did we read about Animagi?"

"They retain a physical trait of the original person," Harry said automatically.

Markings around its' eyes...huh.

"That's the Professor."

Hermione's head snapped in their direction and the back to the cat who was now sitting majestically on her desk.

The door to the room opened and the cat looked to the back of the room.

Everyone else glanced back as well and saw Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, huffing and puffing as they slid into their seats.

"Thank Merlin she isn't here. I really didn't want to hear the Gryffindor lover's whining," Vincent sighed, sounding as if he was of a lesser form of intelligence.

Both Tom and Harry slapped hands to their heads. The idiot!

The cat shifted from its' haunches and leaned forward, jumping off the desk and transforming from a cat to a stern old woman in mid-motion.

She stood with her hands clasped and was giving the two a very stern look, mouth pursed. She was like a female Snape, only hopefully, she wasn't against Harry.

"Five points from Slytherin, for your tardiness Mr. Gregory and ten points from Slytherin Mr. Crabbe for the same charge as well as defamation of your professor's character. Learn some respect."

She waved her wand and transfigured her desk into a pig, which was snorting merrily.

"Welcome to Transfiguration. In this class, you will learn some of the most complex and dangerous magic in Hogwarts. If I catch any cavorting, you will leave this class and never return. You have been warned."

She waved her wand and the desk was back, pig gone.

They had to take some very complicated notes, but when that was over, they were each given a match and were to try to transfigure it into a needle by the end of class.

Harry and Tom smirked at one another and set to work. Harry's needle was silver with two green lines wrapped around it, while Tom's was the exact opposite.

They sat there, staring at their masterpieces, gaining the professor's attention.

"You finished?" she asked, stunned.

They nodded and she proceeded to examine their work and gave a very low almost undecipherable whilst.

"Ten points to Slytherin each for getting it on your first try _and _giving such detail. Why don't you try other things? See how well you can do."

Tom immediately transfigured his needle into a green and black lizard and Harry made his a small albino snake with green eyes, that was no longer than his hand.

McGonagall gasped, "Ten more points each for achieving animal transfiguration. You can work on the assignment due next class. It's on the board."

They boys nodded and cocked a brow when the professor waved her wand and locked the two animals into a blue bubble of light.

"I'd like to keep these to remember this day by, if you don't mind."

She then returned her attention back to the class, assisting those who needed it.

* * *

There were no classes for the first years after lunch, which meant that they had the rest of the day to do whatever. Tom and Harry met with Hermione at the Library where they finished their assignments and proceeded to grab books and start reading.

Harry and Tom explained their transfiguration abilities to Hermione, who gaped in awe.

"You two have to _seriously_ explain your method."

Tom shrugged and Harry took the reigns, telling the girl about what they did.

The first day at Hogwarts, was good indeed.

**A/N: Another one is done! In case you were wondering, a 'muffler' is another term for a scarf.**

**So, how was this chapter? Let me know in a constructive, respectful manner, please?**

_**Check out my other Harry Potter stories. 'Surge de Hydra'(Harry/Tom SLASH and is finished!), 'What's in a Name?'(femHarry/Tom), 'It's Okay Now'(Tom/Harry/Draco SLASH) and 'Her Eyes'(femHarry/Severus).**_

**See ya! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hello, people! Thanks for the reviews favs and follows!**

**I don't own Harry Potter.**

**I have no beta.**

**ENJOY!*NOTE* I changed DADA. It is _just Defense_ in this story. Though Dark Arts aren't the best route, some aren't that frowned upon in my story, so all those ridiculous laws about them aren't involved. It's just Defense.*NOTE***

"Okay, is it me, or is Professor Quirrell a little too...soft to be teaching Defense?"

Tom and Hermione looked at Harry in silence as they mulled over his words. Tom nodded and Hermione sighed.

"He seems dreadfully inadequate in the position," Tom stated, going back to his book.

With a sigh, Hermione nodded as well. "Though I loath to admit it, I agree. He seems too skittish for the job. Defense class is supposed to teach us how to duel, defend ourselves from any sort of creäture out there and make sure we are prepared for anything in the future. He doesn't seem to have the gumption necessary to educate us in this particular field."

"That's what I was thinking. He's too much of a coward to be a proper professor."

"Harry!" Hermione admonished, looking around to see if the coast was clear.

"_Detention_, Mr. Potter. Tonight at seven. Meet me in the Common Room."

The three whirled around to see Professor Snape standing with his arms folded. He was glaring at Harry something fierce and the boy could pretty much feel the hatred pouring off the man. What was his issue?

"Okay," he answered simply, turning back to his parchment to continue writing his Transfiguration essay.

He could feel the glare on his back. Apparently he didn't give a good enough reaction, but he didn't really care. One detention wasn't going to kill him. He always had detention in the orphanage's school, because the teachers hated him just as badly as this man did. It was nothing new.

When Snape walked away, Hermione sent Harry a worried look. "I hope you'll be okay," she said softly.

He gave her a small smile. "Don't worry, I'll be fine." Then, a slow grin worked its' way over his face, eyes narrowing dangerously. "Besides, whether he likes it or not, I'm going to clear up this ridiculous little problem he has with me. One way or another, Snape will be giving me more respect by the time this evening is over."

Tom was smirking just as darkly as Harry and Hermione was still looking worried, but nodded nonetheless.

* * *

"You will scrub _every _cauldron. I know it must be _demeaning _for the great _Harry Potter_ to do menial labor, but maybe you'll think twice about defaming your professor's _character _next time. Just because you _lived _doesn't mean you are better than everyone."

Harry was looking at the sneering man, completely unimpressed with his attitude. So, that's how it was. He thought Harry was a stuck up rich brat. Well, he was half wrong and he would soon learn how wrong.

"Please, attempt to stow away your superior attitude until this is finished. We wouldn't _want _you to be even _more _like your _father _than you already are."

So the man had issues with Harry's parents, which would explain his disposition. The way he sneered the word _Potter_. Snape did not like James Potter for some reason and was laying his blame and hatred on Harry. Well, the boy wasn't going to have any of it.

"Do you...understand?"

Harry nodded, "I understand _perfectly_, sir."

Suddenly, Harry let loose a slew of Parseltongue and Snape was forced into his chair and restrained.

The man struggled and tried to move, but it was futile. And with Harry layering his magic around the room, it was getting difficult to breathe.

The boy stepped up to the desk and leaned over it, placing his elbows on the dark wood.

"So," he started, aimlessly drawing designs on the wood with his finger. "You have a problem with my parents and are acting like a child because of it. Well, I'm going to educate you, since you seem to be severely misinformed about some things."

Snape glared and tried to speak, but found that his mouth was held shut by Harry's magic. He couldn't move and he couldn't speak so all he could do was sit there and listen. Great.

Harry looked the man in the eye. "I am an orphan. I don't have a family. I have relatives, but they are _not_ my family. Why, you may ask? Because I was dumped off at Wools Orphanage on November fifth of 1981, five days after I was dumped off on Petunia Dursley. The matron, Mrs. Cole, found me early that morning, cold and wet because I had been left in the rain in the middle of the night. I am unwanted. That is what it means to be an orphan. No one wants you and you have to go without. You didn't know that I was an orphan, did you?"

Snape's eyes had been widening the more he spoke. but Harry knew that-that wouldn't be enough to get the man to grow up.

"Tom is in the same position, you know. His father left his mother and she died giving birth to him in the orphanage. Tom's father was informed that he had a son, but he didn't want Tom. So, the two of us are the laughing-stock of the orphanage because we are the only one's who have living relatives and they don't want us! It's embarrassing."

Harry glared at a random spot on the wall and he thought about it. It really annoyed him.

"I became friends with Tom four years ago. I had been hindered in the learning process because the teachers and other students didn't like me. So I had to take my education into my own hands. In order to get the necessary education, I had to work. Yes, _work_. Because the orphanage has the loosest rules you will ever hear of, I went out into the neighborhoods and worked. Washing cars, painting houses, mowing lawns, babysitting children, planting and tending to gardens, you name it I've done it. In return, I received the money I needed for the books I wanted. I also got free Latin and piano lessons. Then I befriended Tom and I had him join me in my jobs. It turned out that he could do strange things like I could and a snake friend of ours told us that we were wizards and forced us to train our magic. From then on, we used our magic to help us get the best results in our jobs. More money, meant more for us to study. We have nice things and are intelligent, because we _worked_ to get this way. No one just _handed_ us things, we had to work to get where we are. The others may be jealous, but since they refuse to work for what they want, we will never pity them. So, your whole spiel about how '_demeaning_' it must be for me to do hard work, means nothing to me."

Snape's mouth was closed and he was just staring at Harry in shock.

Harry stood upright and folded his arms. "Also, don't compare me to James and Lily Potter. I don't know them and have nothing in common with them. I am pale with black hair and bright green eyes. I've seen pictures of them and I have no resemblance to either. Also, I don't have the same interests. I could care less about healing people and I won't go and risk my life to apprehend someone.

I don't know these people who you hate so much. Just as I don't know you and you don't know me. You blaming me for what my parents did to you, when you know nothing about me, is like me blaming _you _for Grindelwald killing my parents. I had nothing to do with it, just as you hopefully had nothing to do with their deaths. So grow up. Your hatred for me is completely unfounded when I don't even look like either James or Lily, I am not in the same house and I have different interests. I don't care for your reasoning, but I refuse to let you belittle me at every possible turn. You will either learn _respect me_ or you will keep away from me, because I am annoyed with you and the last time I was this annoyed with someone, I accidentally choked them to death with my magic. Now that I know how to use it, I can do so much worse than _choke you_. Remember that."

To prove his point, Harry let his magic tighten around Snape's throat, making the man's eyes widen.

Harry released the black garbed man and stood back. With a snap of his fingers, his magic swept over the line of cauldrons and immediately removed all residue from inside them.

"So glad we had this discussion professor. My job is done, since you did not specify what I had to use to scrub the cauldrons with. I used my magic, they are clean and I am going to the Library, Goodnight."

Harry left the man alone.

* * *

Severus Snape was a man who was very difficult to frighten. It also took a lot of power and magic to keep him frozen for ten minutes. The fact that an eleven year old child had managed to capture him and demonstrate his power by threatening to kill him, made him shudder.

That boy and his friend were unnatural. No child should be capable of that, even if they received training early on. Should they?

The boy had quite literally taken him to task over his temper and pretty much chastised him as if he were a child.

He was embarrassed and angry that a child had talked down to him like he was inferior. And yet, he knew the boy was right. He was being ridiculous and it was true. The boy was nothing like Potter or Lily.

Severus was hesitant about bringing up this situation to the headmaster. The fact that the boy admitted to having killed someone with his magic alone, made him dangerous. And he clearly had better control of himself now. The things he could do to the other students. Severus shuddered.

But if he told Albus, he would also have to tell the man about his reprehensible behavior and _that_ would not go over well.

So, should he tell the man, or just let sleeping hounds lie?

Despite how against it he was, Potter was one of his Slytherins. He couldn't allow anything negative such as this, reach the ears of the other Houses and Heads. Especially Minerva. She would no doubt have a ball rubbing it in his face. The woman was that annoying.

If he took this to the others, Slytherin would be painted with an even worse name than it already had and he couldn't afford that. No. He would keep this to himself. It was better that way.

Besides, the boy seemed to be very diverse. If Snape were to report his actions, he was sure the child could weasel his way out of it without a problem. He was a Slytherin after all, so there was no doubt that he was cunning and knew how to play people against each other.

One innocent look from that child and no one would ever suspect him of anything.

He was sure that Tom Riddle was very similar. Those two, would be a force not to reckon with in the future. It was obvious they cared highly for one another and did everything together.

If Snape played his cards right, he could keep himself far out of their realm of notice. So when they were rising through the ranks of the wizarding world and they both made it to the top, because there was no conceivable way they'd be anywhere else, they wouldn't have any issues with him.

Yes, he had to think of the future and what those boys could do to him if he wronged them.

Damn! The next seven years would be hell.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore and the professors of Hogwarts were all gathered in a large room on the fourth floor to discuss the first years. It was an annual meeting and this was when they announced the talented children and the ones who needed some guidance.

"So it is the beginning of another school year. As usual, we will discuss the students and what can be done to guide them. Anyone have anything to say?"

Minerva smiled and pulled something from her robes. With a wave of her wand, she enlarged to reptilian animals. A lizard and a snake. They weren't very large, but still, it was enough to put the other professors on edge.

"Professor McGonagall?" Dumbledore asked in concern.

She smiled wider and pulled a quill from her robes, setting it beside the two animals.

"Three of my students managed to successfully transfigure their needles into a match and back again. Then, they went above and beyond what I expected and started working on other objects to transfigure the needles into. Mr. Riddle had the lizard, Mr. Potter had the snake, and Ms. Granger had the quill. A large amount of points were awarded that class. I was practically skipping in excitement!" the woman gushed.

Albus had expected the boys to do well, but not _that_ well. And the fact that the young lady was doing just as well as them, meant a lot.

"Thank you for your glowing report, professor. Who will go next?"

Filius Flitwick stood up in his chair and smiled. "I must say that the aforementioned students were also at the top of my class. They were able to levitate their feathers instantly and Misters Potter and Riddle managed _without _their wands or speaking! With a note of help to Ms. Granger, she was able to levitate hers without a wand as well!"

Minerva's eyes widened. It was obvious that they were good students, but being able to do wandless magic was a difficult skill. Doing it wordless was even harder.

Pomona Sprout stood, "Misters Potter and Riddle did exceptional in my class as well. Mr. Potter can make the plants grow with a simple bit of magic applied to his hands. Mr. Riddle can do the same, but he is much better at controlling or eradicating weeds and nasty creatures that offend the plants and herbs. Ms. Granger understands the theory and history very well. She and the boys were the only ones to answer questions and earn their Houses points. I am amazed. When I asked the boys about how they knew how to treat the plants, they simply stated that they have been planting gardens for a few years and have been able to make them thrive lushly because they can sense what the plants need. Just amazing!"

Aurora Sinistra stood and gave a small smiled. "Just like previously mentioned, theses three students are amazing. In my class however, Mr. Riddle shines more than the other two by a few points. Mr. Potter informed me that his friend loves the stars and universe and is fascinated by the sky. Don't get me wrong, Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger are just as good, but Mr. Riddle has something more. He also understands the theories involved a lot faster than the other two. Overall, they are great students." She sat once more, smile still in place.

Quirinus Quirrell stood hesitantly. "M-mr. P-potter a-and M-mr. R-riddle are very a-adept a-at D-defense. M-mr. P-potter seems very a-advanced in th-this subject. M-more th-than the other t-two. M-ms. G-granger has a b-bit of a d-fifficult t-time with the p-practical b-but her th-theoretical was g-good. Other than th-that, th-they are d-doing very well," he stuttered out and sat quickly, twisting his hands nervously.

Silvanus Kettleburn stood. He was the Care of Magical Creatures professor and had filled the position for many years. "Misters Potter and Riddle managed to get the Runespoor I acquired a few weeks ago, to calm down. They also seem very in tune with the other animals and were able to easily deal with the toads and birds we were working with. Ms. Granger did well, but she seemed more focused on reading about the creatures than handling them."

As he sat, the professors were all reminded that the boys were Parselmouths. It was strange to have two in one century, let alone one school.

Professor Snape stood menacingly. With a sneer on his face, he said, "The three managed to brew a fifth year Heritage Potion. The girl who partnered with Granger only did so well because Granger was her partner. They were the only ones to do it, let alone perfectly. Between Potter and Riddle, I would say their skills in Potions are equal, since Potter managed to answer every question I threw his way. And all of them were above fifth year content."

He abruptly sat down, ignoring the rest of them.

And so the rest went on.

By the end of the meeting, the professors were fully aware of how special Harry Potter, Thomas Riddle and Hermione Granger were. Two halfbloods and one muggleborn. And no purebloods had made even a flicker of worthy notice.

It was rare for a child to come along who had talent in every area. But, it seemed that this year, they had _three_.

Times were changing, obviously.

* * *

Tom and Harry were walking to breakfast a few days later, when Tom nearly tripped. Luckily, Harry was very quick and managed to wrap a hand around the boy's arm, pulling him close so he wouldn't fall.

Tom murmured his gratitude and looked back to see what happened. There, on the marble floor of the corridor, was a really fat toad.

Harry bent down and plucked it up. After a moment of staring at it, he sighed. "This is that Neville boy's toad. We should give it back."

"Or kill it," Tom suggested, glaring at the amphibian.

"Oh don't be like that."

Tom sneered. "You better wash your hands after that. If you get warts I will never _touch you again_."

With a roll of his eyes, Harry continued on, "Come on."

Tom grumbled as Harry and he entered the Great Hall. The boy pulled him over to the Gryffindor table where several people tensed as they approached. Apparently the House rivalry thing was taken to an extreme.

Harry went straight for Neville and deposited the toad next to the boy's plate, silently casting a cleaning charm on his hands. "Tom nearly fell to his death, tripping over it," Harry said.

Tom sent his friends a scathing glare. _Why_ did he have to announce that?

The boy smiled brightly. "Thanks! I was afraid I would never see him again!"

Harry shrugged and avoided Tom's burning gaze. "Don't mention it. Take good care of him."

With a wave, Harry moved to the Slytherin table, still ignoring Tom.

"You won't get away with that, Harry," Tom whispered.

Harry knew he was chancing it, but he couldn't help himself. It was fun seeing Tom riled up. "Yeah? What could you possibly do?"

The look that flashed in Tom's eyes caused a weird feeling to spread in Harry's stomach. Tom grabbed his hand and pulled him close, making the boy flush for some unknown reason.

"_**I can do many thingssss, Harry. Are you really ssssure you want to find out what?**_" he hissed.

The boy shivered and looked Tom in the eye. "_**Maybe,**_" he whispered.

Tom's eyes went wide and he backed away a few inches. "_**Interessssting**_."

Tom sat at the table and filled a plate, leaving Harry to follow his lead at a slower pace.

When Harry didn't start eating, Tom looked up and smirked, making the boy flush again. What was going on? Was Tom doing it?

"Eat, Harry. I wouldn't want you to be weak due to lack of nutrition."

The Potter heir took a bite of bacon, still staring at Tom like he had three heads.

"Come on, Harry. Be a good boy and eat."

The Boy-Who-Lived stared at his plate now, wondering what was wrong with him?

_Am I getting sick?_

Harry glanced up and blushed once more when he saw Tom was watching him.

It was hot all of a sudden. Yes, he must be sick. That would explain everything.

Without looking up for the rest of the meal, Harry ate in silence, completely avoiding Tom's eyes.

Was it him or did things just get awkward?

**A/N: Another chapter!**

**How was it? Let me know in a constructive, respectful manner, please?**

**Check out my other Harry Potter stories. _'Surge de Hydra'_(finished!) Tom/Harry. _'Her Eyes'_(updated recently!) femHarry/Snape. _'It's okay Now'_(in-progress!) Tom/Harry/Draco. **

**Feel free to look at all of my other stories as well!**

**See ya! :D**


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